


Refuge

by HeadLadyInquisitor



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Alcohol, Developing Friendships, Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Pre-Relationship, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2017-06-21
Packaged: 2018-11-17 00:14:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11263989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeadLadyInquisitor/pseuds/HeadLadyInquisitor
Summary: Ryder is feeling the pressure, and an unexpected visitor offers her an ear.





	Refuge

“Pathfinder.”

Ryder kept swirling her whiskey, studying the scratches in the metal cup. “Not here,” she grunted. “Keep moving.”

The chair next to her scraped across the floor and an identical cup was plunked down on the table. She surveyed the unwelcome visitor out of the corner of her eye and sighed, taking a drink. “What do you want, Reyes?”

“Drinking alone doesn’t suit you, Ryder. No crew tonight?”

She shrugged one shoulder - she didn’t have the energy to chase him off. “They’re around. I wanted some time.”

“And a drink?”

“A few.”

The ensuing silence wasn’t as tense as she would have expected. Boisterous voices and mediocre music (though not as loud as at Tartarus) filled the space, and a faint neon glow cast the grimy table in pinks and greens. It was never really dark - or silent - in Kadara Port.

“Do you want to talk?

His question startled her - she’d halfway forgotten he was there. She took a drink to cover her surprise and shrugged again. "About what?”

“About whatever has you sitting at Kralla’s, drinking alone.”

She leaned back in her chair, looking at him for the first time. He looked.. tired? His eyes had traded their usual mischievous glint for a trace of concern. For her?

“Why do you care?” It was blunt, and a little mean, but warmth and tact were in short supply for her at the moment.

He didn’t answer for a moment, instead studying her face, looking for god knew what. When he spoke, it was soft, kinder than she deserved. “Because you’re a good person, and I’m choosing to.”

Whatever she’d been expecting him to say, that wasn’t it, and her eyes widened a fraction before she could control it. “What-”

“The Pathfinder’s not here,” he cut in. “Good. So talk to me, Rosetta Ryder. Because I have a feeling you haven’t had a conversation with someone in a long time that didn’t end with them needing something from you.”

She flinched. Was she that transparent? She must look like shit. Still, she remained guarded. “Trying to talk your way into some intel, Shena?”

A brief chuckle escaped. “No, Rosetta. No code names, no titles. Just a friend. If you need one.”

She looked down at her cup again, running her thumbs over the scratches and chewing her lip in thought. It was a bad idea, wasn’t it? Opening up to him, putting her vulnerabilities on display for this sketchy smuggler, this exile, this who knows what else?

No one had called her by her first name since she came out of cryo.

She knocked back the rest of her whiskey and pushed the cup across the table. “You still owe me a drink,” she said with the barest hint of a smile.

Reyes grinned, winked, and headed for the bar.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey so I know this doesn't seem like much, but I was pushing myself to improve a couple things in my writing here. I'd really love some feedback!
> 
> I'm on tumblr at head-bitch-inquisitor.


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